Severe Obesity May Hit Men Harder

Men Have More Problems Handling Carbs, Less Endurance, Say Researchers

July 11, 2005 -- Severe obesity may be harder on men than on women, new research shows.

That's what scientists saw in a small group of severely obese people -- 22 men and 34 women. Data came from blood samples and endurance tests on stationary bikes.

The results show that severely obese men had more trouble handling carbohydrates and less endurance than the women.

"It appears that carbohydrate intolerance is more common in obese men, which would cause them to be less physically fit than obese women," says researcher Emile Dubois, MD, PhD, FCCP, in a news release.

The findings appear in the July issue of Chest.

Fat Location May Matter

The participants were enrolled in a hospital's weight management program. They each had a body mass index (BMI) of at least 40.

Obesity is defined as a BMI of 30 or more. A person who is severely obese has a BMI of greater than 40. Obesity is the principle driver for the metabolic syndrome (a cluster of risk factors that increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease) and diabetes, they write.

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